LITTLE ROCK — The Arkansas Activities Association (AAA) passed a conference realignment for the 2016-18 classification cycle Wednesday that would eliminate the 7A/6A blended conferences during the governing body meeting at the Statehouse Convention Center.

The changes, which required a two-thirds vote to pass, cleared with 94 in favor and 40 against. The new classifications, which will go into effect in 2016, are:

• Class 7A — 16 largest schools

• Class 6A — Next 16 largest schools

• Class 5A — Next largest 32 schools

• Class 4A — Next largest 48 schools

• Class 3A — Next largest 48 schools

• Class 2A — Remainder of football schools

Russellville athletic director Johnny Johnson said the changes passed because they were designed to alleviate travel for the majority of schools in the state.

“They were trying to get everyone to look at what was in the best interest of most of the schools in the state and not what was in the best interest of their particular school,” he said. “From that standpoint, it will help with travel and gate receipts.

“In our case, we [Russellville] will probably be in a conference with Clarksville or Morrilton or both. When you play people closer to you, more people can come watch those games, so usually you’re going to make more money off the event, which helps everyone.”

The AAA has not yet decided which teams will be placed into which conferences. Johnson said it would be interesting to see how that unfolds.

“This is something that won’t go into effect for two years,” he said. “But I’m guessing Russellville will probably play against Siloam Springs, Greenwood and Alma and I think you could possibly see Harrison, Clarksville, Farmington and Morrilton.”

It’s impossible to say whether the conference change will help Russellville compete athletically this far out.

Johnson suspected it would help football, which he described as a “manpower” sport, because the Cyclones will no longer have to play against Class 7A schools.

Class 6A schools will have to adjust to a new conference tournament to help decide which teams will advance to the state playoffs. In the past, 6A schools were allowed to move directly into the state playoffs after the regular season was over, but under the new guidelines they will have to play through a tournament similar to the system already in place for smaller classifications.

“We’ll have to adjust to that,” Johnson said. “It might be even more difficult to make the state tournament because we’re only going to take four teams from the conference tournament to state. That’ll be an adjustment.”

The AAA also passed terms defining football practice. For example, the term “full pads” equates a full contact practice or game in full pads with players taken to the ground.

“Half pad” practices are at “thud” pace, with no full contact to the ground.

Additionally, teams can only have three days of full-contact per week, including games on the varsity and junior varsity level, during the regular season.

During the spring teams are allowed three full-contact practices per week with no practices to occur on consecutive days. A spring game is considered a full-contact practice.

The AAA passed the terms and conditions by a vote of 163 to 21. The rules go into effect immediately.

Other changes

• A vote to move the first football game of the year up one week failed 124 to 59.

• Volleyball events were further defined after a successful 131 to 2 vote and will go into effect immediately. Under the new guidelines, tournaments can include preliminary sets for the purpose of seeding teams into bracket play with up to six teams per seeding permitted. Teams can play no more than 10 total 25 point sets in preliminary play.